It had rained overnight, with more forecast for the rest of the week, so
despite the overcast conditions and the threat of rain I planned a walk
starting in Tilgate forest next to Crawley, walking over to Wakehurst place
(the millennium seed bank location) and back.
After dropping Sue off at Brinsbury, Bertie and I headed over to Crawley and
entered the park from the K2 sports centre end. We parked below the
recreational huts - this was a free car park although everything around here had
a height barrier. I did not realise it at the time but the main car parks
require a payment.
From the car park we continued down the road to the main
centre and the Go Ape play area.
We crossed the end of the lakes on the dam, and then into the trees on a path
leading to the golf course. We followed the track across several swathes of the
course.
We crossed the end of the golf course, unfortunately we picked the wrong path ad
initially go to the edge of Furnace Green residential area, before turning down
to the rail tracks.
We followed the rail lines back to the footbridge and crossed into
Maidenbower.
The urbanisation of Maidenbower had left green corridors alongside the paths
between the housing estates. We followed these tracks across to the side of the
motorway, before turning up alongside it.
We crossed over the M23 using the B2036 bridge, then down the footpath from the
roundabout on the otherside.
We followed the only public footpath through Worthlodge forest and Worth forest.
The was along a forest track. The views were all constrained by the trees.
We met a second track coming down from the Worth way (the old rail line to
Crawley Down), and followed this to a gate opposite Worth Abbey school.
The path continued through the grounds of Worth Abbey school, across a field
with some pitch & putt laid out.
Along past a residential block and on down the track beyond. This dropped down
to a stream and then up the other side, still on the cinder track
The track ended at a back road that we followed along to a junction(three back
roads and a driveway). We took the driveway off the junction down to Little
Strudgate farm.
The driveway continued past the farm, down and across a stream, before climbing
the other side and along to Newhouse farm. At the farm we turned up the side of
a ploughed field - the first really boggy section of the day.
Alongside Bushycroft wood and into the Sheepwash wood. We dropped steeply down
to a stream and up the other side.
the climb out involved a little rock climb - Bertie manfully made an attempt,
and almost made it, but did require a boost. The path then crossed a field and
up to the edge of the Wakehurst Gardens
As we entered the estate we passed some woodland sculptures.
The public path continues up the side of the gardens - we could had cut through
as the gate was open. Then through a cow field to the main car park for the
botanic gardens.
We turned sharply onto the driveway and followed the main delivery driveway that
bypassed the visitors centre. The snowdrops were coming out in the woodland area
next to the road.
We continued on the road passing the seedbank buildings and down past the
maintenance area.
Out the back of the gardens we dropped back down to the stream we had crossed
earlier on the way out. we went through a cow field (luckily the animals kept
their distance). At the bottom we picked up a track in the woods.
We dropped steeply down to Ardingly brook and over a wooden footbridge
Steeply up the other side into a grass field. We skirted around and up the side
passing the Oaks to reach a back road.
Over the backroad and down a driveway to Forest farm. The path bent around the
side of the buildings and through some scrub to a grass field (with a tree house
in a dead tree). From the end of the field we dropped down once again to another
stream. A bit of a zigzag to avoid a swamp and we met a path junction.
At the junction we turned onto a farm track that followed the stream as it
turned around Kelsey house and up to the B2036. Over the road we then walked up
Crawley Lane - a back road that crossed over to the B2110. A bit of a flog
uphill but luckily it was very quiet with only a couple of vehicles to let
by.
Across the road and down the open driveway to Greentrees house and
farm.
The path followed around the back of the farm yard, then down a lane dropping
gently down. Initially in woods but opening out with fields.
The track entered into Oldhouse Warren still descending to yet another stream
which was crossed on a wooden footbridge.
On the other side we climbed up to a forest track and followed it over the
railway line (there were a lot of Doggie walk vans parked here). Then into
Tilgate forest.
We climbed up the track in the forest aiming for a bridge over the M23
Back in the country park we turned across the golf course following tracks in the woods between swathes. eventually dropping to the upper dam between the two lakes.
Leaving the lakes behind we followed a tarmacked path across to the nature centre
Around the back of the nature centre and down to Titmus lake. From here we returned to the recreational centre huts and shortly after to the car park. A lot more up and down with many stream crossings than I had imagined.
